Sofa-bed.



S. KARPEN & C. HULTGREN.

son. BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15,1910' I 1,012,861 Patented De0.26,1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1 IS! mlmwm S. KARPEN & O. HULTGREN.

SOFA BED. APPLICATION FILED JAN.15,1910.

Patented Dec. 26,1911.

LOlQflSL $725: who

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Jaye 505 S. KARPEN dz C. HULTGREN. SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15,19101 1,012,861. Patented De0.26, 1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 fizz/9762578 KM? Who s. KARPENB: 0. HULTGREN. SOFA BED.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I Wm" Salorzcozc Kazyoezc W aka/[es H6665 l'zz/ UNITED snares Penn SOLOMON KARPEN AND CHARLES HULTGREN, bat man, inninormsiiin rinn rennn ASSIGNOR TO SAID; KABPEN.

sorA-BEn,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

Application filed January 15, 1910. Serial No. 538,194.

- in Sofa-Beds, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates particularly to.

combination sofas and beds, or combination couches and beds, in which a foldable mattress-frame, or foldable bed-frame, is normally housed Within the main frame beneath the seat of the sofa and equipped with a foldable wire mattress, or spring bed-bottom, the parts being so related as to afford room between the sections of the folded bed frame and bottom for the bed ding, z. e., the mattress pad, bed linen and covers.

The present inventionconstitutes an improvement on the construction shown in Karpen application No. 485,973,filed March 26, 1909; and our .primary object is to provide an improved construction of the character indicated wherein provision is made for disposing the bed, when the structure is converted to bed form, in a higher plane than has been feasible in our prior con structions, .and to accomplish said purpose without unnecessary complications and without interfering with the compactness of the structure in its folded condition, ease of manipulation and durability of structure being also kept in mind as of prime importance.

It may be preliminarily stated that in the preferred construction of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, there are employed: a main frame; a stationary back carried thereby; a rearwardly swinging seat adapted to assume a standing position adjacent said back; a for wardly shiftable carriage located in said frame; and a folded bed mounted on said carriage and normally housed beneath said seat in the folded condition of the sofa-bed, sai'l folded bed comprising an intermediate bed-section foldably mounted on the front upper port-ion of said carriage, and front and rear bed-sections foldably connected with said intermediate section. In the construction illustrated, the rearwardly swinging seat and forwardly shiftable carriage are so connected with each other and with the main frame that the carriage will be shifted forwardly when the seat is swung rearwardly to the standing position; and the bed may then be unfolded to occupy an extended position in front of the seat, the mounting of the bed being such that in the unfolding operation the bed-sections are all raised to such an elevated position as to correspond approximately with the normal height of an ordinary bed of the bedstead type.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a sofa-bed constructed in accordance with our invention, the section being taken just inside of one of the end-standards of the main frame, and certain of the parts being shown brokenly';'Fig. 2, an enlarged broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig.- 3, saidview showing details of the manner in which the forwardly shiftable carriage is connected with the end-standards of the main frame and the folded bed is mounted upon said carriage; Fig. 3, a view' similar. to 1, but showing the structure in bed form; FigQ-l, an elevational view of one of the clips employed for connectingthe throw-links ofthe carriage with the end-standards.of the main frame. Fig. 5, a sectional view of said clip, the part removed being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 6, a'broken plan sectional view taken as indicated at line (5 of Fig. 8; Fig. 7, a broken perspective view showing one corner of the carriage and the manner in which the intermediate bed section is mounted thereon, said view being taken from within the carriage;. Fig. 8, a broken plan sec tional view taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9, abroken sectional view taken as indicated at line 9 of Fig. 3 and showing the relation of the rear bedsection and the seat when the seat occupies the line 10 ofFig. 9;'and Fig. 11, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 11 of Fig. 6 and showing a; detail of the manher in which the carriage is connected with guides attached to the inner surface of the end-standardsof the main frame.

In the preferred construction, A represents the main frame; B, a' sofa-back fixedly secured between the end-standards thereof; C, a rearwardly swinging sofa-seat; D, a forwardly and rearwardly movable carriage mounted in the main frame; and E, a foldingbed mounted on the carriage D.

The frame )1 may be of any suitable construction. In the GOIlStlLlCllUll illustrated, the frame comprises wooden end-standards l which constitute the arm of the sofa, and the rear connecting member 2. As will be understood, the end-standards may be made as plain or as ornamental as desired.

The back 13 may be attached in any preferred manner. As shown, it fits between the rear portions of the cnd-standards-l and is rigidly secured thereto. Ordinarily, the back comprises a frame equipped with an upholstered pad, and preferably the back inclines son iewhat rearwardly and up wardly, as shown. i

The seat C may be of any preferred con struotion. As shown, it comprises a springsupporting frame 3 which usually is equipped with an upholstered pad 1. The frame 3 has a front member 5 which has a downward extension 6 projecting beneath the end members of the seat frame and is complemental to a front piece carried by the carriage.

The carriage D, in the form illustrated, comprises a pair of slides 7 joined by a rear connecting member 8 and a front piece 9 upon which the downward extension 6 of the seatframe rests when the structure is in closed condition; and a channel-bar 10 located immediately behind the front piece,

9 and connected, through the medium of channel-form uprights 11 and spacingblocks 12, with the front portions of the slides 7, the upper portions of the uprights 11 being joined, by braces 13, to thechannelbar 10 some distance from its ends, so that the members 9, 10, 11 and 12 really form a truss upon which the intermediate bed-see tion is foldably mounted. Attached to the outer surfaces of the lower portions of the slides 7, as shown in FigsQ and ill, are horizontally disposed metal bars 14: equipped with rollers 15 adapted to move in runways,

having a reduced shank E20.which extends through the slot 17. :It will now be understood thatthe rollers 15 are not only movable in the guides 16, but the carriage, by virtue of the roller and guide connection, forms a connecting medium between the end-standards of the main frame.

In the construction illustrated, the seat is pivoially connected with the rear portion of the forwardly and rearwardly shiftable carriage, and. is linked to the main frame, so that when theseat is raised to the standing position the carriage will be automatically moved forward, and when the seat is lowered to the closed position, the carriage will auti-matically ret acted. The means illustrated for accomplishingthis purpose comprise the short bars 21 fixedly secured to the rearportions of the end members of the seat-frame 3 and having their rear ends connected, by pivots 22, with standards, or hinge-members, 23 secured to the rear upper corners of the slides 7; and links 24, whose rear ends are joined, by pivots 25, to the front ends of the bars, or hinge-members 21, and whose front ends are detach ably and pivotally joined, by clips 26, to the inner surfaces of the end-standards 1 of the main frame. Each clip 26 has its upper cc ge provided with a slot, or recess 27 adapted to removably receive a stud 28 which projects laterally from the adjacent.

end of the corresponding link 24. Connected to each clip, by a pivot 28 is a hook, dog or latch 29 having a nose, or hook-portion, 30 adapted to project across the slot 27 above the stud 29 and prevent dislodgment of the stud. The dog 29 is normally held in the engaging position by a spring 31 connected wit-hits pivotal portion, and the disposition of the dog is such that when a pull is exerted through the link 24 in the operation of raising the seat to the standing position, the dog will prevent the stud 98 from leaving the slot- 2-7. Each dog 29 has a finger-piece 32 by means of which it may be retracted when it is desired to disconnect the carriage and links Q-l from the main frame.

' The folding-bed E, in the construction illustrated, comprises an intermediate section foldably mounted on supports 3+1 which are, in turn. foldably mounted upon the uprights 11 of the truss connecting the front portions of the slides 7 of thc carrias'e. The supports 3% are of channel form and are coi'mectcd with the channel-form uprights 11 by means of pivots The intermediate bed-section preferably comprises angle-bar members having inturned flaiiges 86 to which are secured plates. or members 37 which inturn, are secured to the channel-form members 38, which are connected by pivots 39 with the upper end portions of the supports 34. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 7. The upper ends 'of the pivotally mounted supports 34 shaped front section 42 the end members, or

arms, of which are connected, by pivots 43, with the front portions of themembers constituting the intermediate bed-section; a

' rear U-shaped bed-section 44 the end memhere, or arms, of which are connected by pivots 45, withthe rear ends of the members of the intermediate bed-section; and a foldable wire mattress or bed-bottom 46 attached to the arms of the front, rear and intermediate bed-frame sections. Connected with the end members of the 'rear bed-frame sec tion are slides, or shiftable clips, 47 to which are joined links 48. The links 48 are connected at one end, by pivots 49, with the lower portions of the slides 7 ofthe carriage, and at the other end, by pivots 50, with the slides. 47.. Connected with the slides 47, as through the medium of t the pivots 50, are links 51 the front ends of which are connected, by pivots 52, with the meeting, ends of links 53 and 54. The links 53 have their other ends connected, by pivots55, with the end members of the front bed-frame section a short distance in' front of the pivots thereof; and the links 54 have their other ends connected, by pivots 56, with the frame members of the intermediate bed-section. Connected with the pivots 52 are brace-links 57 whose opposite ends are joined, by pivots 58 (see Fig. 7) to the inner surfaces of the upper front corners'of the slides 7 of the carriage. Connected with the endmembers of the front bed-section 42 are legs 59 having upward extensionstions of the links 53. The legs 59 are connected by pivots 61.

The guides, or runways, supporting the carriage are designed to support the carriage in its movement, so that it will be unnecessary to provide casters runnin'g'upon the floor, the objection to the use of such casters. being that they -m a'r the floor and interfere with rugs. To support the front portion of the carriage in the advanced position of the carriage, we provide-a pairof vertically movable casters, or rollers, 62

journaled in levers 63 which are connected by pivots 64 with the lower front portions of the slides 7 'of the carriage. The opposite ends of the levers 63 are connected, by links '65, with the links 48, and it Will: now

be understood that after the carriage is.

moved forwardly, the rollers 62 will be lowered to rest upon the'floor'in the operation ofnnfolding the bed; The rollers 15 with which the carriage is equipped are located some distance in therear of the front por;

tion of the'carri-age, and infiorder to support the front portion'of the carriage securely when the carriage is in the retracted 4 position, we equip the lower front corners of the slides 7 of the-carriage with.- projections, or fingers, 66 (Fig. 6) adapted to enter the front ends of the box-form runways when the carriage is retracted. .It will be understood that this feature of construction provides against racking or forward tilting of the carriage when it is in its retracted position, in which position thefront portion of the seat is supported upon the front portion ofthe carriage, and hence the weight of occupants of the sofa would be transmitted through the front portion ofthe carriage. After the seat has been raised to the standing position shown in Fig. 3, thus --au-. tomatically shifting the carriage to the advanced position, the bed is unfolded from the position which it occupies on the car; riage, as illustrated in-Fig. 1, so as to occupy the extended positionshown in Fig. 3. In v .bed. mounted on the carriage is normally housed beneath the'sofa sea-t. Assuming. the bedto have been properly made up before the sofa-bed structure was converted into sofa form, it is only necessary, to prepare the this operation, the. roller-equipped supports bed, to raise the. sofa-seat to the standing 1 position, thereby shifting the carriage for-. wardly, and thereafter to unfold the bed;

from its position on the carriage. In the operation of raising the seat to the'standin'g position, tension is exerted from the clips 26 attached to the main frame through the;

links 24 and pivots 25, and aforward thrust.

upon the carriage is exerted through the hinge connections between the seat and'car- .riage. After the carriage has been movedio the advanced'position, the bed may be unfolded by lifting upon'the front bed-section 42, in which operation the intermediatebedsection 33 andits folded supports 34 will be swung to the elevated position, and, at: the

same time, the slides 47 will be drawn for-' wardly and the links 48 swung upon'the pivots 49, thereby elevating the rear bed-section 44. When the rear bed-section reaches the elevated position, its rear portion Jlies'w beneath the blocks, or members,'67 attached 'to the rear or lower portion of the seat-'- frame 3, as will be understood from F igs. 9. d. '1 In the operation of ,unfolding When it is deslred to convert the structure from bed form-to sofa form, the bed is made up and secured to the foldable bedfiame by suitable means (not shown), the-- bed. is then folded upon the carriage, in wh-ichoperation the rear bed-section drops a" the plane .of the lower portion of the carriage,'the supports 34 swing rearwardly and downwardlyabout the pivots 35 until said supports occupy a depending position beneath" said pivots, and the intermediate bed-section breaks at the joints, or pivots, 39.and occupies a vertical position adjacent the supports 34, as will be clearly understood .from Fig. 1. The sofa-seat may then be lowered, 0r. swung forwardly and downwardly, in which operation a rearward thrust is exerted upon the carriage through the medium of the hinge connection between the seat and carriage, and this thrust is counteracted by a thrust transmitted V through the links-.24: to the main frame.

To facilitate the forward movement of' the-carriage, we-prefer to employ springs 68 which are attached to the rear portion of the carriage and the"end-standards of the main frame, asshown in Fig, 3. lVhen the carriage 'is retracted, these springs are placed under tension', as shown in F ig. 1,-and thus aid in shifting the carriage forward when the seat is lifted. In the reverse operation,

- the weight of the seat aids the operator in shifting the carriage rearwardly.

.While' it is preferred to employ the links 24 to automatically shift the bed, as a whole, in the operation of raising or lowering, the seat, the invention is not limited to the employment ofthis expedient- If desired, the links 1% may be omitted and the forward and rearward shifting of the carriage D maybe eifected by hand.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for .elearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation is to be understood therefrom, but the appended claims are tobe construed as broadly as permissible in view ofthe prior-art.

- hat we regard 'as' new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s g 51. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame, a- -foi'wa1'dly.shiftable carriage therein, a rearwardly swinging seat, an intermediate bed section foldably mounted on the front portion of said carriage, front and rear bed sections pivotally connected with said intermediate bed section, links pivotally connected-with said carriage and slidably engaging the rear bed section, links pivotally connected with each other and'with the front and 1 intermediate bed sections, and links connecting said seeond named links with saidl first-named links.

'2. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame, a forwardly shiftable carriage, an intermediate bed section foldably mounted on the front portion of said carriage, front and rear bed sections plvotally connected with 'foldable legs connected with said front bed section, and links connecting said foldable legs with said second-named links.

3. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame, a forwardly shiftable carriage therein, a rearwardly swinging seat, an intermediate bed sectlon foldably mounted on the front portion of said carriage, front and rear bed -sect1ons plvotally connected with said intermediate section, a' pair of links pivotally connected with said intermediate bed section, a pair of links pivotally connected with said front bed section and with said first-named lints, a pair of links pivotally connected with said carriage and with the junctions .of said first and second named links, and means connected with said links for elevating said rear bed section.

4. In a sofa-bed, thecombination of a frame, a forwardly shiftable carriage therein, a rearwardly swinging seat, an intermediate bed section foldably mounted on the front portion of saidl'carriage, front and rear bed sections pivotally connected with said intermediate section,a pair of links pivotally connected with said intermediate bed section, a pair of links pivotally connected with said front bed section and with said first-named links, apair of linkspivotally connected with said carriage and with the junctions of said first and second named links, means connected with said links for elevating said rear bed section, legs foldably' connected with said front bedsection, and links pivotally connected with said legs and with said second named links.-

In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame, a pair of pivotal supports, an intermediate bed section pivotally mounted on said supportsand adapted to fold with relation thereto, said intermediate bed section equipped with shoulders adapted .to bear upon theuupper ends'of said supports,

front and rear lied sections pivotally con'- nected with said intermediate bed section,

said front section being spaced above the rear section in the folded condition of the structure, means connected with the front bed section for elevating the rear bed section when the bed is opened and for swinging the intermediate bed section and its .sup-" ports to an elevated position and bracing the same in said position, means for support ing the front portion ofthe front bed section the extended position, and a rearw'ardly swinging seat beneath whichthe'folde'd bed is normallyhoused.

. and

. otally connected above the rear [connected with said carriage and slidably 'llfIii a sofa-bed, thecombinationof a frai ie, a rearwardly swinging seat," a forwandlvshiftabIe carriage, a pair of sup! po rtsfpivotally connected with the front up pegjiortion of said carriage and normally depending from their pivots, an intermediate bedvsection normally occupying a substantially-vertical position in the folded con-.

dition" of the structure and pivotally'connected with the lower ei ds o f said supports lying-{substantially parallel with said support-s, front' and rear bedsections pivwith said intermediate section, the front section-being normally spaced. bed section, links pivota'lly engaging said rear bed section, pairs of links pivotally connected with the front and intermediate bed sections and with each other, links connecting said last-named links with said first-named links, brace-links pivotally connected with said carriage and with said -second-named links, a'nd legs folda-bly connected with the front bedsection.

7. In a sofa-bed,- the combination of a frame comprising end-standards, a carriage located between said end-standards,

guide connections between said carriage and .said end-standards adapted to transmit ten-. sion from one end-standard to the other,

whereby said carriageserves as a truss between said end-standards, a swingingly mounted seat, and a folded bed mounted on said carriage and normally housed beneath 'said seat and comprising a plurality of bed sections foldably connected Wlt-h' each other .40

and with said carriage.

8. In a sofa-bed. the combination of a frame comprising endestandards, an interposed carriage, guides and flanged rollers connecting said carriage and end-standards,

'whereby the carriage will serveas a truss between said end-standards, a swingingly.

' mounted seat, and a folded bed. mounted on said carriage and comprising a plurality of front portion with a truss, folding supports I connected with the uprights of said truss, an

intermediate bed section foldably connected with said supports, andfront and rear bed sections" pivotally connected with said intermediate bed section. v I

10. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame, a forwardly shiftable carriage, guide connections between frame, 7 nected with the front portionof said car- .said carriage an normally elevated supports conframe, a forwardly shiftable carriage, a

- I and withsaid carriage.

'riage and adapted to be lowered with rela time: t ca i g fter -lifcarriage has;

" been shifted for\vardly,"and a'foIdedbe d mounted on said carrie and comprising a plurality of bed sectionsfolda'bly con nected with each other andwiththe front portion of said carriage. 4 i i 11. In a sofa-bed, the comb ination bra frame, a. carriage, guide connections between said carriage-and frame," a pair of normally elevated supportsfor the front portion of the carriage, a'folded bed comprising a plu rality of bed sections foldably connected with each other and with said carriage,'.and actuating means for said supports adapted' to be actuated by said folded bed"'in th'e' operations of unfolding and folding the Same; I.

'12. In a sofa-bed, the combination" of'a folded bed comprising a plurality of bed sections foldably connected with each other and with said carriage, links pivotally connected withsaid carriage and serving to elevate the rear bed section, and normally elevated supports for the front portion of the carriage connected .with said links and adapted to be moved into contact with the 'floor in the operation of unfolding the bed. 13. In a sofa-bed, the combination of'a frame comprising endstan dards, an interposed carriage, guide connections between said carriage and end-standards, supports connected with the front portion of said carriage and adapted to be supported on said frame in the retracted position of the carriage, a foldedbed comprising a plu-. rality of bed sections foldably connected with each other and with said carriage, and a movably mounted seat beneath which sai bed is normally housed.

14. In a sofa-bed, thecombination of a frame comprising end-standards, a for- 'wardly shiftable .carriage located between said end-standards and having its lower front portion equipped with a front piece, 7

a rearwardly swinging seat having the front portion of its frame equipped with a rigidly carried downward extension afford ing a complemental front piece, and afolded bed normally housed beneath said seat and comprising a plurality of bed sections foldably connected with each other 15. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a frame comprising end-standards, a forwardly shiftable carriage in said frame between said end-standards, guide connections between said frame and carriage, saidcarriage comprising slides and a front truss equipped withuprights and spacing-blocks interposed betweenv said uprights and said slides, supports pivotally connected withsaid uprights, an intermediate bed section pivotally connected with said supports, front and 30 'ot-ally connected with rear bed sections pivotally connected with vsaid intermediate sect1on,pa1rs of links pivsaid-front and intermediate bed-sectionsand with each other, brace-links pivotally connected with said first-named links and with the front upper corners of said slides above said spacingably connected wardly shiftable carriage,'and a folded bed bed sections foldwith each other and with said carriage, said rear comprising a plurality of bed section adapted, -wl1en elevated, to engagethe pivotal portion position, thereby to prevent accidental descent of the seat.

17. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a main iframe,a forwardly shiftable carriage comprising a pair of slides and afront con-.

necting truss having channehform uprights,

channel-form supports pivotally connected with the upper portions of said uprights, an intermediate bed section pivotally connected with said supports, and front and rear bed sections pivo tally connected with said intermediate bed section,

SOLOMON- KARPEN. CHARLES HULTGREN.

In presence of J. G. ANDERSON,

It; A.'S oHAnFER.

.of said seat when the seatis in the standing 20 

